£2.4m Funding For Portadown Railway Station

£2.4m funding has been secured for the redevelopment of Portadown Railway Station.

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy secured the European Regional Development funding of £2.44m, which will go towards the £3.6m cost of the project.

Minister Kennedy was visiting the station today accompanied by Pat Colgan, Chief Executive of the Special European Union Programme Body (SEUPB).

Danny Kennedy said: "This successful funding bid recognises our efforts in promoting greater cross border travel cohesion and our drive to improve the rail network infrastructure in Northern Ireland."

The funding will go towards the alterations, extension and refurbishment of the existing railway station.

The Minister said his department was dedicated to encouraging the public to use public transport.

"With annual footfall at Portadown Station now approaching 900,000 making it the fifth busiest station on the rail network, this improvement programme will benefit Northern Ireland and cross border passengers," he continued.

Catherine Mason, Group Chief Executive for Translink said: "The contemporary design is in keeping with the recent public realm enhancements made to revitalise the town centre and we are already starting to get positive customer feedback regarding the new lifts, airbridge and the station frontage which is becoming a new landmark feature for the town.

"With real time information already available on journey checker and our new train timetable being introduced from 6th January next year, together with our new trains and range of value for money tickets for both commuters and leisure travellers, we hope even more people will choose to use the train for journeys both to and from Portadown."

Work on the station is due to be completed by December 2013.

(IT)